I'm on a concoction of medication, one of which is Paracetamol that I take 4 times a day. What is so special about it? Is it some type of little known wonder drug?

I know it helps bring down a temperature, very helpful when you've lost your balls, but I had been receiving testosterone gel and more recently testosterone injection courtesy of a big prick in my arse!!!!

Do any posters on here work in Selly Oak (or more precisely QE), or Headley?

I'm on a concoction of medication, one of which is Paracetamol that I take 4 times a day. What is so special about it? Is it some type of little known wonder drug?

I know it helps bring down a temperature, very helpful when you've lost your balls, but I had been receiving testosterone gel and more recently testosterone injection courtesy of a big prick in my arse!!!!

Do any posters on here work in Selly Oak (or more precisely QE), or Headley?

Ta

Dingerr

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Sounds like the usual military medicos I was accustomed to. Invariably if you went to casualty for the flu or traumatic amputation of one or more limbs the standard, almost matter of fact, response was "take 2 of these."

Paracetamol is used for pain control. It is not associated with constipation (the stronger the analgesic the more bunging it becomes, to the point where laxatives have to be given concurrently to ease bowel movement). It's also less addictive and associated with less tachyphylaxis (the effect wearing off with time). Paracetamol is also seen as a desirable alternative to non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen and dyclofenac as it has no association with stomach bleeds and does not cause problems with asthma. It may well be that paracetamol is a better accompaniment to other medication you may be on or, as I say, to control side effects.
Hope this helps.

Sounds like the usual military medicos I was accustomed to. Invariably if you went to casualty for the flu or traumatic amputation of one or more limbs the standard, almost matter of fact, response was "take 2 of these."

It was hailed as the wonder drug you couldn't OD with only to be found it fecks your liver up. The sale of it is restricted to small amounts as are aspirin.

The recommended adult single dose of paracetamol is two standard 500 mg tablets. Research shows that the common threshold for liver damage to occur from a single paracetamol overdose is 15 gms (30 tablets) although standard hospital guidelines allow an extra safety margin and assume liver damage could occur at a single overdose of 24 standard tablets or 150 mg/kg body weight, whichever is the smaller.

The overdose threshold may be lowered in a person taking certain prescription medicines, or a person who is an alcoholic or is seriously undernourished. If the overdose is spread over a period of time the threshold may be higher, as the initial paracetamol dose is effectively metabolised. (The recommended maximum dose in a 24 hour period is 4g or 8 tablets).

There are often no symptoms in the first 24 hours following overdose, although there may be mild nausea and vomiting. In a large overdose liver function deteriorates leading to jaundice, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Death is rare but when it occurs it is due to liver failure.

Treatment of a serious paracetamol overdose is mainly by administration of an antidote which can prevent the toxic effects of the overdose. This must be done early, ideally within 12 hours of the overdose although it can still be beneficial up to 24 hours or even later.

Treatment must be supervised in a hospital. It is important that if a paracetamol overdose is suspected, hospital treatment is sought without delay.

In England and Wales on average approximately 130 deaths per year can be directly attributed to paracetamol alone. In the vast majority of these cases the overdose is deliberate, and these deaths are returned as certain or probable suicides. In a small number of cases the overdose was intentional but the individual's expectation was not to cause death. Such deaths may be recorded as accidental. Paracetamol Information Centre - Paracetamol in Overdose

There are often no symptoms in the first 24 hours following overdose, although there may be mild nausea and vomiting. In a large overdose liver function deteriorates leading to jaundice, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Death is rare but when it occurs it is due to liver failure.

Treatment of a serious paracetamol overdose is mainly by administration of an antidote which can prevent the toxic effects of the overdose. This must be done early, ideally within 12 hours of the overdose although it can still be beneficial up to 24 hours or even later.

Treatment must be supervised in a hospital. It is important that if a paracetamol overdose is suspected, hospital treatment is sought without delay.

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Indeed, I remember an especially sad case from a good few years back,
A Rifleman (though it could have been anybody) had given his girl-friend the old heave-oh.
She swallowed best part of a bottle of Paracetamols- I believe in those days it was still possible to get large quantities.
She subsequently vomited and she and her family assumed that, as she had thrown them up, all was well and didn't seek treatment. Sadly though the damage had been started and by the time she sought help, the liver damage was irreversible.
Life was looking rosy again and she no longer wished to die. My recall is that it took four days for her to die, during which time she was mostly conscious and realised she was on the way out. Tragic

My mother was prescribed paracetamol whilst terminally ill with cancer and had access to stronger stuff like morphine derivatives, always thought it was a bit like throwing a cup of water against burning inferno?

Had the misfortune to encounter something similar a few years back, I was on Brufen for back pain for a while, and my flatmate's girlfriend, after he dumped her and did a disappearing acting, decided to neck the lot - some 250 pills along with a litre and a half of vodka - imagine the suprise I got coming home from a long shift to find the shredded remains of pill packets and empty bottles scattered across the living room. A very long and stresful night in A&E for me. Thank god it was Brufen and not Paracetamol things could have gone a lot worse for her - the great news is now, some 13 years on a very happy and content young lady.